V₂O₅-C-SnO₂ Hybrid Nanobelts as High Performance Anodes for Lithium-ion Batteries

The superior performance of metal oxide nanocomposites has introduced them as excellent candidates for emerging energy sources, and attracted significant attention in recent years. The drawback of these materials is their inherent structural pulverization which adversely impacts their performance and makes the rational design of stable nanocomposites a great challenge. In this work, functional V₂O₅-C-SnO₂ hybrid nanobelts (VCSNs) with a stable structure are introduced where the ultradispersed SnO₂ nanocrystals are tightly linked with glucose on the V₂O₅ surface. The nanostructured V₂O₅ acts as a supporting matrix as well as an active electrode component. Compared with existing carbon-V₂O₅ hybrid nanobelts, these hybrid nanobelts exhibit a much higher reversible capacity and architectural stability when used as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. The superior cyclic performance of VCSNs can be attributed to the synergistic effects of SnO₂ and V₂O₅. However, limited data are available for V₂O₅-based anodes in lithium-ion battery design.